


B

by glowingGalaxies



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, also this is like my first time writing anything with chloe, chloe gets a miraculous at the same time as marinette and adrien, slight AU, so it might not be the best but I love redemption arcs n stuff like that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-19 16:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10643997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glowingGalaxies/pseuds/glowingGalaxies
Summary: You can’t just stop being a bully. She had a reputation; No one really liked her much, and she knew it (though she’d insist she hadn’t, back then). It would upset the weird sort of balance that existed. Not that it was a good balance, but it she suddenly started acting nice, people would definitely notice.Which, considering she had also become one of Paris’ superheroes that day, might have tipped someone off or something.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love reading stuff about chloé getting a miraculous??? idk why it's so great (probably because I'm a sucker for redemption arcs) but it really is???  
> anyway this is me taking a shot at it so lemme know what you think, it'd be super appreciated!
> 
> also I promise I'll update my other ML fic soon aaaa

Chloé had been the class bully… admittedly, about as long as she’d been in school. Since kindergarten, even, probably.

And, while she had long since (okay, maybe a year or so ago, around when Adrien first started going to public school) realized that that wasn’t really how she wanted to be known, you can’t just stop being a bully. She had a reputation, for one thing. No one really liked her much, and she knew it (though she’d insist she hadn’t, back then). It would upset the weird sort of balance that existed. Not that it was a _good_ balance, but it she suddenly started acting nice, people would definitely notice.

Which, considering she had also become one of Paris’ superheroes that day, might have tipped someone off or something. It’d stand out. She’d have brought attention to herself. Someone might’ve started to suspect she was Queen Bee when she suddenly starting acting like her overnight.

So she had done her best to stay the mean class bully everyone expected her to be, outside the mask. For her identity’s sake. Ladybug didn’t want anyone finding out, and honestly, she didn’t either. Everyone liked Queen Bee, after all. They didn’t like Chloé. She knew they’d all hate Queen Bee as much as Chloé if they ever found out they were one in the same.

It only got harder as time went on. The guilt was killing her. It was the worst when she caused an akuma (at least she’d know what kind of akuma they’d be facing, right?). 

Worse yet, she kept slipping up, more and more. A quick “sorry” after tripping someone. Doing her own homework instead of copying Sabrina’s. Helping someone pick up a dropped notebook or pencil. She was sure people were starting to notice. She had almost hoped they’d figure it out, at least so she wouldn’t have to keep being so horrible. But, if they did, no one said anything. 

Sometimes she wondered if getting to be a superhero was worth the conscience it was giving her.

She’d never give up it up, though. As much trouble and guilt as it was causing her, being Queen Bee was the highlight of her day. Ladybug and Chat were two of the best friends she could ask for (even if she advocated for keeping their identities secret even more strongly than Ladybug), and she got to have fun with them while saving the city in the process. And Paris was so beautiful at night. She loved the feeling of running across rooftops and enjoying the view. She felt it was all worth the hatred at school, at least in those moments.

In moments like _these_ , though, she wasn’t so sure.

“Chloé??” She heard Ladybug ask, unbelievingly, as she stared. She shifted uneasily, trying to find an escape from the closet Ladybug had just opened the door of. As Queen Bee was detransforming inside.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a particularly large doorway, and Ladybug was almost completely blocking it.

Chloé tried to sound nonchalant. Act like she wasn’t about to lose at least one of her only real friends (she had seen how Ladybug acted around her out of costume; she wouldn’t blame her). “Oh, hey, Ladybug! I was just... hiding from the akuma. In this closet. But I’m sure, if you’re coming here, that means you, Chat Noir, and Queen Bee must’ve saved the day by now, right?” Ladybug’s miraculous beeped. “I should be going, and it sounds like you should be too, so if you could just move…” Chloé moved toward the door.

“Chloé??” Ladybug asked again, seemingly frozen in place. After a moment of terrifying silence, Ladybug finally moved out of the way. Chloé darted by her, but heard her say something like “We’re talking about this later” as she did. Fantastic.

At least they had already beaten the akuma, so Chloé could head back home. She was not looking forward to patrol that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyy so people wanted a sequel/continuation/whatever this is!  
> I hope it's as good as the first chapter, haha

Queen Bee took a deep breath as she hopped onto the roof they were meeting at for patrol tonight. In her _infinite good luck_ , it was just her and Ladybug tonight- Chat had said he wouldn’t be able to make it. She half wondered if Ladybug would even bother showing up. She couldn’t imagine she’d come to hang out with her (because, really, that’s all patrols were), now that she _knew_.

For better or for worse, the Bug in question was already there. Had Queen Bee been focusing more on her, in that moment, she almost seemed as guilty as Bee felt. She turned to face her. She braced herself for what Ladybug was going to say: _We’re not friends anymore, now that I know you’re such a horrible person_ , she could practically hear her say. _Chat and I don’t need someone who causes akumas on our team, we’re a duo now._

“I’m really sorry.” Ladybug said, snapping her back to reality.

She blinked at her. “...What?”

“I… I should’ve paid more attention to the direction you went in after the battle. I know how much you wanted to keep your identity a secret.”

Queen Bee stood, dumbfounded. “You… you’re not… mad?”

That seemed to startle her. “Mad…? Why would I be mad, this was my fault for finding out! I thought you would be mad!”

“But I’m… me! I’ve caused at least half the akumas we’ve fought! I thought you hated me!”

“Well… maybe I did, before yesterday. But now that I know you’re helping to fix them, even when you’re not the cause? I guess I’m more… conflicted. But… why?”

Queen Bee leaned against a chimney, trying to look more relaxed than she was. “I don’t know how often you see me, outside of the masks…”

Ladybug hesitated. “... Pretty much every day.”

 _Every day?_ “That often? No wonder you… reacted like you did. But I… don’t think I’m like that, anymore? Or, at least, not without thinking. I’ve only been keeping it up because everyone expects me to be the bully. I guess I’m worried if I suddenly stop, they’re going to realize who I am? But... maybe I really am like that.”

Ladybug shook her head. “No, I’ve seen you at school. You’re still mean, but… you’re not as mean as you used to be. You’re even nice, sometimes.”

Her thoughts seemed to slow, trying to process. She’d seen her at school? They go to the same school? She’s _noticed_ her slip-ups? “You… we…?”

Ladybug laughed. “I can tell you from a first-hand perspective, I would never, in a million years, have guess that you being nicer meant you had become a superhero. Especially after a year. Although your effort to disguise your personality to hide your identity is definitely impressive, I don’t think I could manage to be mean to everyone even if I did have your… reputation.”

Queen Bee pouted. “Whatever. I guess that just means I’m even more amazing than you gave me credit for.”

“That’s the Bee I know! I almost wondered if you had given your Miraculous away when you showed up so quietly and barely talked!”

She chuckled, but it died quickly. She still had a knot in her stomach. “So we’re… still friends?”

“Of course!” Ladybug gave her a look. “I mean, maybe we wouldn’t be if it turned out you were working for Hawkmoth the whole time, or something, but if you’ve just been keeping it up to try to protect your identity? It’s… definitely not the best way to do it, I’m not going to lie, but it definitely worked up until I messed it all up.” She smiled awkwardly. “I’m… really sorry about that, still.”

“Don’t worry about it. I was more worried about your reaction, anyway.” She tried to keep an air of indifference. Didn’t want Ladybug to take her words too seriously.

“Well, before we patrol, I just want to say- It really says a lot, you know. You were given a Miraculous while you were still a… pretty bad person, but you didn’t take it as a chance to be an even bigger jerk. You used it like a second chance, to be a good person without everyone already set in thinking you weren’t. That’s… you should give yourself more credit, I think you’ve been a good person for a lot longer than you think.”

“Let’s… let’s just get this patrol over with.” She tried not to smile. Not too much, anyway. Definitely not cry. That was definitely not even a thing she remotely felt like doing even though _Ladybug found out who she is and still thinks she’s a good person_. That’s definitely not something to cry about. 

“Alright, yeah.” Ladybug started to turn to head off in the direction their patrol was starting, then abruptly turned back. “But hey, if you want any help on making friends with your class, I say you ask Marinette. I’m positive she’ll understand your situation.” And then she was off.

Queen Bee stood for a moment. “Wha- _Marinette_??”

**Author's Note:**

> I might do a sequel, or a continuation, or something, someday, but idk?


End file.
